4 Underrated trade targets for the Houston Rockets this summer

Here at Space City Scoop, we aren't strangers to trade speculation.

Honestly? We're biding our time. The 2024-25 season is ions away. We need to do something to fill the existential void.

We've already looked at superstars the Rockets could trade for. Who knows if they'll shake up the league's landscape this summer? Still, it's easy to make the case that the Rockets should stick with their young core.

The Rockets could still trade for an impactful role player. They could even trade for a starting-caliber player without draining themselves of assets. Here are four underrated trade targets we think the Rockets should take a look at.

Corey Kispert

The Rockets could use a shooter. In 2023-24, Kispert shot 38.3% from deep. That's solid, but if you're a fan of efficiency, it gets better.

Kispert is an analytics darling. He avoids deep twos like the plague. Last season, Kispert shot a mere .035% of his field goals between 10 and 16 feet from the rim.

By contrast, 60.5% of his field goals were threes. Suddenly, that three-point percentage looks a little more impressive. Kispert could do wonders for a Rockets team that made a concerted effort to increase their three-point volume as 2023-24 wore on.

That is, if Washington is willing to part with him. Kispert is young, but a team in the Wizards' stage of rebuilding can prioritize assets above all else. There could be a sensible deal for both sides here.

Kevin Huerter

By contrast, Huerter shot 36.1% from long-range last year. That's mediocre. It was also a down year for Huerter.

He's a career 38.2% three-point shooter. In the end, that's only one component of three-point shooting. Defenders respect Huerter.. If he's open from deep, he commands an aggressive closeout.

Huerter is also 6'7". That gives him unique positional size as an off-guard. He's not necessarily a lockdown defender, but he's solid on that end, and he can't be exploited.

It also feels likely that he'll be available. The Kings are looking to extend Malik Monk this season. If the Rockets can orchestrate a cap dump, they should be able to acquire Huerter at a reasonable price.

Jonathan Isaac

We know. Isaac is a MAGA guy. We don't tend to get into politics here, but we'll put it this way - we don't see eye-to-eye with Isaac on a lot of issues.

Question his views if you like. Here's a question - is Isaac the best defender in the NBA? The metrics suggest that he's not in that conversation, but they're likely skewed by Isaac's limited playing time.

The eye test suggests that Isaac is close. He has incredible lateral mobility for a man who stands 6'11". Isaac can protect the rim and guard every position on the floor. He's as strong of a defensive player as you'll find in the NBA.

Perhaps the Magic won't let him go. That said, their young core is about to get expensive in its own right. Isaac has a team option this summer. The Magic could opt to move him rather than invest in an injury-prone player. If the Rockets are feeling lucky, they could justify a modest investment in his health.

Cameron Johnson

Mikal Bridges trade proposals for the Rockets are fashionable. They're en vogue. It's widely understood that since the Rockets own the Nets' first-round picks through to 2027, they could have an inside track on their best player.

Why not Johnson? He shouldn't be as costly as Bridges. The Rockets could offer the Nets Dillon Brooks, Jock Landale, and one of their picks back - with heavy protections on it.

Make no mistake - Johnson would be an upgrade over Brooks. He's a career 39.2% three-point shooter. Sure, he'd be a slight defensive downgrade, but in the aggregate, he's the more impactful player.

We're not worried about his contract, either. Johnson makes just a few million dollars more per season than Brooks. That's a price e worth paying if the Rockets can upgrade their floor spacing without taking a major hit to their defense.

At least, that's our opinion - we're just speculating.